Pet CPR and First Aid 
Know the Signs of Hypothermia and Hyperthermia… and what to do!
Hypothermia and Hyperthermia are two extreme changes in body temperature that can be very harmful to your pet and must be treated promptly. When the body temperature becomes too low, Hypothermia, your pet may experience symptoms such as violent shivering, shallow breathing and a slow heart rate. If your pet is experiencing any of these symptoms, bring them to a warm room and cover them with warm towels or blankets (you can warm up the towels or blankets up by running them through the clothes dryer). You can also use warm water bottles wrapped in towels or a hair dryer on its lowest setting. Acting quickly can prevent permanent damage to the tissues and possibly death.
Hyperthermia (Heatstroke) occurs when the body’s temperature rises above 104 degrees and can be fatal if not treated within the first hour. Symptoms include rapid panting, thick/sticky saliva, red or pale gums, vomiting (sometimes with blood), diarrhea, weakness, dizziness, shock and coma. If your pet experiences this, remove them from the hot area immediately and wet them thoroughly with cool, not cold, water. Using cold water can actually cause the temperature to decrease too low and can create complications. Once you get the temperature down to 103 degrees then dry your pet thoroughly and take them to your veterinarian. Remember, acting quickly and calmly in these situations can save your beloved pet’s life.
Brenda Conducts a CPR Demonstration
ABC of Pet CPR and First Aid
A-Airway:
After determining that the animal is non-responsive, obtain an open airway. You should not continue until this step has been achieved.
1. Carefully pull the tongue straight out of the animal’s mouth to open the airway.
2. Make sure that the neck is reasonably straight; try to bring the head in-line with the neck.
3. Attempt 2 rescue breaths by closing the mouth and performing mouth-to-mouth ventilation. If your breaths flow into the animal freely, continue to next step.
B-Breathing:
After achieving an airway, determine whether the animal is breathing, and whether this breathing is difficult.
1. Carefully pull the tongue straight out of the animal’s mouth to open the airway.
2. Make sure that the neck is reasonably straight: try to bring the head in line with the neck.
3. Breathe at 12-breaths per minute (1 every 5 seconds). With each breath just make the chest rise (Do not over inflate , especially on a small animal)
4 Proceed to C-Circulation. While continuing breathing support as necessary.
C-Circulation:
This is the final step of CPR and should be started after A-Airway and B-Breathing steps have been completed.
1. Make sure that there are no major points of bleeding (pooling, spurting blood). Control as necessary by applying pressure with your hand.
2. Check for a pulse in the groin.
3. Place the animal on its right side.
4. Locate your hands where its left elbow touches the flat chest, approximately the middle of the rib-cage (for cats use 1 hand in a squeezing motion)
5. Compress the chest 15-times followed by 2 rescue breaths (3-Compressions every 2-seconds) Compress:½” for small dogs & cats, 1” for medium dogs & ½” for large dogs.
We offer pet CPR Classes
We do Educational pet classes to Shelters, Rescue Organizations, 4-H Club, Shows and Events!
Watch Beg n’Bark Feline CPR Demonstration:
